Sell side

Fiona Ma has been pushing the state's bond team to explore refundings and to sell new money bonds while rates remain low.

Municipal bond sales sank 28.2% from April 2018 as issuers awaited clarity on federal infrastructure plans.

The municipal bond industry veteran, formerly of PNC and Janney, will head municipal strategy and credit at Hilltop.

Bankers have until May 1 to submit their qualifications and their ideas to finance a $250 million expansion.

Next week’s calendar should benefit from timing and availability coming on the heels of both the income tax deadline and the holiday-shortened week.

Nuveen, in its defense against Preston Hollow's lawsuit, says its conduct in the fight for bond business was legal whether the other firm likes it or not.

Municipal bond insurers are running close to last year's clip through the first three months of 2019, as the two active insurers wrapped $3.61 billion in 288 transactions. That compares with $3.61 billion 257 deals during the same period last year. The insurance penetration rate dipped to 4.8% from 5.9% at the end of the first quarter of last year.

In the week ended April 11, the weekly average yield to maturity of the Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index, which is based on 40 long-term bond prices, was unchanged from 3.88% the previous week.

Lori Lightfoot picked Jeffrey Bethke to help address the city's pension and budget demands when she takes the helm next month.

Refundings of recession-era stimulus bonds are driving California's robust sales volume.